Ex: Man Arrested at Colorado's Top Court Was Having Breakdown

She says Brandon Olsen has no political affiliation
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 3, 2024 6:10 PM CST
Ex: Man Arrested at Colorado's Top Court Has No Political Affiliation
Brandon Olsen.   (Denver Police Department)

A man accused of breaking into the Denver building that houses the Colorado Supreme Court, firing multiple shots and causing extensive damage, wasn't acting out of anger at the court's decision to kick Donald Trump off the GOP ballot two weeks earlier, his ex-wife says. Tori Schumacher tells the Denver Post that 44-year-old Brandon Olsen "has no political affiliation whatsoever." She says he was having a mental breakdown during the early Tuesday incident. Schumacher says she heard from Olsen for the first time in years on New Year's Eve, when he called to say he was traveling from Arizona to Colorado to see their children.

Schumacher says Olsen has been estranged from the family for years because of mental health and addiction issues. "He wanted to see his children and we didn't allow that and he just went a little crazy," she tells the Post. "It's not some weird political" thing, she says. Olsen, who surrendered peacefully hours after he entered the building, faces robbery, burglary, and arson charges, CBS News reports. He's accused of starting a fire in a stairwell after firing shots in the building. According to court documents, Olsen forcibly took keys to the building from an unarmed security guard, CNN reports.

Authorities say the building, which also houses the Colorado Court of Appeals and several state agencies, will be closed for some time due to water damage. Olsen, whose criminal record in Colorado includes drug and theft cases going back to 1997, per CBS, remains in custody. Schumacher says the behavior he's accused of at the court building was shocking—and out of character. "He's a really loving, good guy, just had a mental breakdown," she says. "Drugs will do that to you." (More Colorado stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X